In the presentation of NASA's 1999 budget, Lehendakari Clinton presented the project to ship to the Europe satellite. The ship Europa Orbiter would be spaced in 2003 and would make numerous observations from the orbit of the satellite in order to investigate its surface.
Among other things, it will carry a radar transmitter and, by radar signals, measure the depth of surface ice to know if there are water wells under. Other instruments will produce high-resolution surface maps to facilitate inspections. In case of finding water wells, NASA plans to send “hydrobots” or divers guided in the future.